A ghost called trust
by Crystalas
Summary: after a nasty cave in jack is left with a horrible choice, bleed to death from a nasty wound or trust is enemies to help him out. considering Jack has now lost all faith in trusting people Jack must decided quickly before he dies... RaiJack
1. cave in!

Jack has always had problems with partners ever since Wuya betrayed him for Mala Mala Jong so it no wonder that by series three jack probably doesn't trust anyone…

Even if his life depends on it?

After a nasty cave in he's stuck in a tunnel with the Xiaolin Dragon with a pretty nasty wound. Experience from other encounters tells Jack that if they found out he was injured they'd take his wu and leave him for dead, but if he doesn't get medical help soon he'll bleed to death.

What is his choice bleed to death or risk telling the monks?

**Chapter 1: CAVE IN!**

Jack walked around a mining quarry with his Shen-gong-wu detector-bot strapped to his wrists, it was leading him south and towards a cave. He looked around to see it had Mexican writing on it and was barred with planks of wood.

"Danger Unsafe mine?" Jack translated "Of course why can't they be in safe places, like I don't know…a spa?" he demanded only to look around to see no one around.

'Oh yeah I forgot that I'm going solo now' Jack thought but then he scoffed 'then again what else is new?'

Time and time again Jack would find someone to work with and then before he knew he would find himself tied up and punched up and in one weird case turned into a plant. Jack had decided to fk it all and go solo that way he didn't have to worry about un-loyal partners.

However this lead to the horrible feeling of being alone.

Jack shook his head and grumbled to himself.

"You are not lonely I have jack-bots and…" he stopped and face palmed himself "and I'm talking to myself! Man I'm loosing it!"

Jack walked into the cave and saw at the top of the roof of the tunnel was long horrible pointy stalactites and a pair of metal armoured mittens with rubies for knuckles. As Jack looked up at them he saw that they were jammed in a crack that looked very unstable, there was no way he could take them out without causing a cave in.

Just as Jack was calculating a way to remove them he suddenly found himself being kicked in the chest and being flung into the wall. Omi stood there looking very pleased; Raimundo was standing on Clay's shoulders as he reached for the mittens.

"Come on Magma Mitts come to papa!" he muttered as he yanked them clear of the rocks.

"That was…" Kimiko began but stopped when a deep rumble grew louder around them and the tunnel shook and shuddered as dust and chunks of rock fell.

"Easy?" she ended.

"You twits!" Jack shrieked "You caused a cave in!" rocks tumbled down in a deafening roar and Jack made a break for the door…only to fall flat on his face! He rolled over and looked up to see one of the stalactites break away and plummet towards him like a stone dagger…

Then every thing went dark…

The first thing Jack felt was a warm wetness and he instantly assumed he had landed on his bottled water again he found that embarrassing as it always looks like he wet himself and considering his reputation people can jump to assumptions!. However when he tried to get up he felt a stabbing sensation in his side he opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness and Jack whimpered. Suddenly a light filled the area and he saw Omi with his dots glowing standing there looking around as his other friends got up groaning.

"Are you alright my friends?" Omi asked.

"A bit bruised but I'll be alright" Clay muttered and Kimiko and Raimundo groaned an agreement. Jack looked around and saw he was lying in a puddle of blood…

He painfully got up and realised that it was his own, on his side was a nasty gash that started from his stomach and travelled to his arm. Blood was pouring from it and he tried to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding but it barely worked.

"Oh look who survived" Kimiko sneered and Jack looked up at them.

"Hey it was you guys who caused the cave in not me!" he sniped but they grumbled and walked away. "Where are you going?"

"When we were flying here Dojo spotted a tunnel entrance on the other side of this hill, with any hope it's the exit to this one so we're going there" Raimundo explained.

"Can I come?"

"If ya have to just don't slow us down" Clay said and Jack looked down at his wound.

If they knew about this they'll just laugh in my face and abandon me, and they'd probably take all my wu too. Jack thought and winced as he got up, I'll stay quiet and follow them.

It seemed like forever as they walked on further and further into the mines, Jack followed behind and Omi turned to look at him as Jack leaned against a wall to keep himself balanced.

"Jack Spicer are you alright?" he demanded, Jack winced and looked up at them to see they were staring at them.

"None of your business Twinkie!" he declared and marched on ahead of them trying to carefully hide his pain. It wasn't long before they over took him and he was free to stagger without anyone seeing him.


	2. gotta stay awake

Sorry this is so short but I couldn't think of whst else to put in…

**Chapter two: staying awake to stay alive…**

It felt like they had walked for ages when they settled down to sleep, for the others it meant a chance to rest up and dream. For Jack it was a different story Jack knew he was badly wounded and if he fell asleep he might go into shock and never wake up again. So while the other rolled out blankets and Kimiko started a fire on some old wood, Jack huddled up away from the fire and looked down at the floor.

"Gotta stay awake" he muttered and looked as everyone curled up to sleep, Raimundo was put on watch and he sat there looking into the fire.

"Yo Spicer you gonna have a nap too?"

"Err…no thanks I'm not tired" he mumbled and turned his back to the others, the pain alone was horrible it was like someone was constantly stabbing him in the side with a flaming hot dagger his side was soggy already with blood but despite the pain, sleep was threatening to take him.

"I…I gotta stay awake" he whispered as Raimundo gave a loud yawn and laid back into his blanket, once Jack was sure he was asleep did he take off his coat to take a good look at the damage. However his coat and shirt was so soaked in blood he had to peel them off his chest, he winced at every movement and looked around for a bandage. He stopped when he saw the Monk's sashes hanging out of a bag; he crawled over and reached for one…

"What are you doing?" Raimundo demanded.

"I…err…need a blanket! Don't suppose you got a spare have you?" Jack asked cheerfully.

"Sorry no" Raimundo grumbled "Don't bother going after the wu neither we hid them good" he closed his eyes and slipped into a happy sleep.

"Believe me that's my last intention" Jack mumbled and crawled back to his little place, his eye lids began to droop but he shook his head. He tied his jacket around his wound as best he could; suddenly he heard a noise and spun around only to feel his side rip open a bit more which Jack had to quickly stop himself screaming by biting his finger. All he saw was Raimundo turning over in his sleep to have his back turned to Jack; he sighed and then gritted his teeth as the pain got worse. He had to stay awake but what could he do to stop falling asleep. He got a stick and began to do equations in the dirt.

"Got to stay awake…got to stay awake…" he mumbled into the night.

"Come on guys let's head em up and move em out" Clay called as they woke up; Omi glanced to Jack to see that all around him was scribbles. He looked closer to find they were equations and sums, Jack sat there shivering and mumbling to himself.

"Jack Spicer?" he asked and touched Jack, he flinched and fell backwards.

"I'm awake!" he yelped "Please don't hit me!"

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Kimiko demanded as Jack struggled to get up, Raimundo looked worried but Jack just carried on walking. He glanced at the ground to see where Jack had been there was dark patch, it was too dark to see what it was but Raimundo already had a good idea.

"Jack…" he said and grabbed him and yanked him back, Jack hissed in pain and tossed his hand off.

"Leave me alone!" Jack snapped but as he took a step forward the tunnel swirled around him and everything went double sighted, the blood lost, the lack of sleep and the sheer agony of the wound itself was taking its toll. Jack staggered forward and then collapsed…


	3. don't die

**Chapter 3: don't die…**

Raimundo ran over to Jack, he whimpered in pain at Raimundo's touch and tried to push him away.

"Jack let me see your wound…" Raimundo said and Jack painfully opened his eyes to look at him.

"Don't know…what…you're…talking about" he lied but he gave a groaned and clutched his side, Raimundo glared at him angrily.

"Jack I saw the wound last night when you tried to stop the bleeding now let me look!" he snapped and Jack stared at him and then sighed as he let his arms hang away from his chest, Raimundo took off the Jacket and gasped, Clay covered his mouth and clutched his stomach as blood always made him feel queasy.

"We need to clean the wound, Omi can you get the bottled water?" Raimundo asked and Omi scurried over to their backpacks and brought it back, Jack fought to get up but he just slumped on the ground with a groan.

"This might hurt a bit okay?" Raimundo warned and he poured the water onto the wound gently, the coldness bit into the wound like razors and Jack screwed his eyes shut.

"Aagrh!" he groaned.

"Kimiko do we have any bandages?" Omi asked.

"No" she said bluntly.

"Use our sashes" Raimundo declared and they looked at him as if he was nuts.

"What? No way! I ain't getting Jack's blood all over my clothes!" she snapped and Raimundo glared at her.

"Do you want blood on your hands knowing you let somebody die over a piece of clothing?" he demanded, she glared at him and then sighed as she grudgingly got them and handed to Raimundo, he got each one and tied it on tightly. Jack's breathing was shallow as he fought the pain and the urge to scream, Jack's pride wouldn't let him scream in front of these people like this; not when one of them was tending to his wounds. They already thought he was a sad little loser he didn't want them to think he was weak as well.

Finally Raimundo was done; sadly even though he had slowed the bleeding there was nothing he can do about the pain. Kimiko offered two ibuprofen tablets but Jack refused.

"Better not…" he whispered "if you take those things on an empty stomach it makes you puke and I haven't anything since yesterday morning"

"Hey Clay when you're finished being a woss about blood can you help me support Jack? He isn't as light as he looks!"

"Gee…thanks" Jack panted. They got at both sides of Jack and placed his arms around their necks as they lifted him up.

They walked on a fair bit more when Omi stopped.

"Do you feel that my friends?" he asked and closed his eyes, a soft wisp of a breeze tickled past his head. "Fresh air!"

"That means we're near the exit!" Dojo cried "Yes!"

"Hear that Jack?" Raimundo said and Jack looked at him blearily "Freedom and medical attention is just around the corner!"

"G…glad…to hear it" Jack whimpered and they sped up, the breeze was getting stronger and they could see a trickle of light around a corner…

They turned the corner and stopped, the breeze slipped through the boulders and the light poked through the cracks as if taunting them to try and get it. This looked pretty bad as there was a hill of rubble in the way.

"Dude it must've come down in the cave in as well!" Omi cried, Jack gave a groan of defeat and his arms went limp, Raimundo quickly looked at him.

"Jack don't give up we'll find a way!"

"If we blast it down we'd have to get out quick so we don't get stuck in it again if it caves in" Clay said tapping the rock.

"Or worse we end up like Jack" Kimiko muttered and looked at Jack as Raimundo laid him down, "You try and keep Jack conscious and we'll find a way past this" she said and Raimundo looked at Jack who whimpered and closed his eyes.

"Come on dude stay awake" he said and tapped Jack's cheek.

"Don't leave me" he muttered "I don't want to die alone"

"Spicer you are not dying!" Raimundo declared despite the overwhelming evidence that Jack might be however Jack just spluttered a chuckle.

"I've been wishing for death since you guys blasted away my delusions of me being worth something" Jack said with a cold smile "I just don't want to die knowing no one gonna even notice I'm dead"

"That's not gonna happen" Raimundo said sternly "let's change the subject, what's your parents like? I mean we've raided your house over and over again but the only family member we've ever seen is Megan"

"Well my mom is a super model" Jack murmured "She does fashion shows, even directs a few herself"

"Sounds cool, so what's she like?"

"She cares more about her reputation and appearance than anything else" Jack said as he shifted painfully into a more comfortable position "this one time after Omi and Hannibal duked it out in the sky as energy, I was left there in rags and no idea what was going on. It took me three days to get back cos Hannibal made me dismantle my jet to make the energy transfer device. I didn't know my mom was having a party the night I got home so I used the front door; you should have heard her…"

"Yeah well you vanishing for four days or so would worry your mom" Raimundo said but looked at Jack who seemed very quiet. "She was worried about you right?" he asked.

"The minute I saw her I was so relieved to be back I hugged her, she acted like I had just punched her! She slapped me around the face and yelled at me saying stuff like 'what are doing here dressed like that?' 'get into your room before someone sees you!' and I just went to my lair and she went back to her party…" Jack bit back tears, this was the first time he actually spoke to someone about this and it hurt inside, it made his heart ache so much he felt as if his chest was locked in a vice. "I must be so worthless if my own mom can't stand the sight of me" Jack mumbled and Raimundo looked at him, Jack rubbed his eye and then glanced at him.

"What about your dad?" Raimundo asked he knew just by the look of Jack's face that the family subject is a bit hard for Jack but curiosity got the better of him.

"Don't even know where he is, he left when I was two" Jack mumbled "Mom says it's because I'm a freak"

Jack's just a kid Raimundo thought, underneath all that gloating, world domination plans and robots he's just a kid in pain. Jack glanced at Raimundo and then looked away.

"God you must think I'm one screwed up weirdo don't you?" he whispered and clutched his side as the pain ripped through him. Raimundo was about to deny it but Clay came over.

"We've got a plan but we need to be on Dojo first" he said.

Dojo super-sized and they sat down Jack leaning against Raimundo for support, the pain was getting worse and if he moved the cave would swirl around his head.

"Wudai Crater earth!" Clay cried and punched the rocks, they flew away and the exit rumbled threatening to collapse again.

"Wudai Neptune Ice!" Omi cried and a thick layer of ice blanketed the cave walls and roof making it stable for a few minutes. Dojo shoot out like a rocket as the ice gave in and the cave collapsed in on itself sending a blast of dust and dirt into the air.

As they cheered Jack felt faint, the pain suddenly subsided and he closed his eyes.

"Don't let me die alone" he whispered as he fell limp, the last thing he saw was the bright sun shining and the last thing he heard was Raimundo's voice.

"Jack…Jack? Come on dude wake up…don't die now!"


	4. is living worth it?

**Chapter four: is living worth it?**

Jack felt warm, like he was wrapped in the softest warmest quilt he could think of. All he could see was light but it didn't hurt his eyes if anything it made him feel safe, he began to wonder where he was but that thought was suddenly swept away as he felt something he had barely ever felt before…

He felt happy, he felt at peace…

He curled up and sighed blissfully but suddenly he jerked as his chest felt like someone was crushing his chest again and again, he looked around to see dark tendrils shoot out and lash around his wrist and body. As much as he fought more grabbed him and wrapped around him, it tugged at him roughly and dragged him to the dark abyss. All feeling of peace was ripped from him and he screamed…

Jack woke up with a scream, cold sweat was pouring down his face and he looked around. He felt cold and his whole body seemed to ache. He found himself in a temple room and his wound was bandaged up neatly and he undid the bandages to see that twelve stitches were neatly done to seal the gash.

"Wha…what happened?" he mumbled.

I think it's kinda obvious, the bright light the floating feeling…Holy shit! I was dead! He realised I had near death experience!

"The Dragons must have saved me" Jack claimed "maybe they actually like me!" he smiled and was about to get up when he heard the voices of the others. He saw them just outside the curtain door as their shadows were portrayed on the curtain like shadow puppets.

"Okay Rai we saved Jack yeah for us" Kimiko said "Now get rid of him!"

"She's got a point partner"

"He will raid our vault" Omi said.

"Oh? In his condition?" Raimundo demanded.

"Exactly even if he was in good health he's useless in battle" Kimiko said "And none of us want him hanging around with us"

"Why? We can train him"

"Okay you want reasons? One he's evil, two he's a robo freak and three –and I think everyone who's ever met him will agree- he's a useless little weakling!" Kimiko declared, she was about to go on when Jack shoved past them angrily grabbing his heli-bot and jacket.

"I did not realise he was awake!" Omi muttered as they watched him storm off, Raimundo went after him.

Jack was storming out the gates when Raimundo caught up with him, he put his hand on Jack's shoulder but Jack swung round to punch him in the face. Raimundo stumbled back clutching his cheek.

"What the hell was that for?" he cried.

"I didn't ask you to save me and I'm not asking for you're pity!" Jack snapped and glared at him "And don't think I owe you anything!"

"I saved your life Jack" he said.

"No one asked you to and I think it's obvious nobody wanted you to!" Jack cried out "I'm angrier at myself for actually believing for a minute that somebody wanted me around!" Jack muttered he looked at his side with the stitches; he felt like each stitch in his body was a mark of hatred.

"But we do want you around" Raimundo said. "I thought you'd want me to save your life"

"Did you ever think I would have been better off dead?" Jack exclaimed and Raimundo grabbed him be the shoulders.

"Don't talk so stupid!" he cried.

"I felt happy I felt at peace and then you guys brought me back!" Jack muttered and then shrugged off Raimundo's hands. "Now leave me alone"

"Jack I think you've been alone for too long already" Raimundo said Jack glanced at him and then began to walk away.

"I'm not lonely…" Jack whispered as anger left him leaving a horrible feeling of despair, Jack stopped and stared down at the floor.

"I'm not lonely" He repeated more to himself than Raimundo "I'm not…I'm…not" he said as he felt himself sit down on a nearby boulder, tears poured down his face he covered his face with his hands and wept.

"You've been though a lot I understand, Hush don't cry" Raimundo whispered as he hugged him.

"I'm not crying" Jack sobbed.

"So why are my clothes getting wet?" Raimundo asked referring to his shoulder which was getting damp from Jack's tears.

"It must be raining" Jack whispered and for a brief wonderful moment he felt happy.

Wake up he thought to himself he's only doing this to lure into a false sense of security!

Jack shoved Raimundo away and got up.

"You actually thought I'd fall for that?" Jack demanded as he activated his heli-bot.

"Jack just trust me!"

"Trust is dead Raimundo I've finally realised that!" Jack said as he flew off, Raimundo watched sadly and sighed.

"Jack I just want to help…"


	5. loving care

**Chapter 5: loving help**

The next day Raimundo went over to Master Fung who was sitting under the tree with a little cup of morning Chinese tea. Raimundo looked uncomfortable but went up to him anyway.

"Master Fung can I talk to you about something?" he asked he sat down on the cool grass.

"Yes?"

"It's about Jack Spicer" he said sheepishly, "I know that when Omi tried to give him a chance and he stole some of our wu but…" he took a deep breath "I want to help him"

"Why do you want to help the evil boy genius?" Master Fung asked.

"He's not evil, he's…he's just lonely I mean when we were in the cave he told me that his parents never showed any love to him and that they never cared about him. I think that's why he went evil he wanted to prove to people he wasn't worthless"

"And what do you want to do to help him?" Master Fung inquired looking at him, he glanced away as if unsure what to say.

"I want to help him feel loved…" he the winced and grasped his face "man what am I thinking I'm a guy he's a guy and yet…"

"You want him to feel happy and loved"

"Yeah…Master Fung…don't tell the others, for one thing I don't think Omi would understand even you dictated from a dictionary!" he muttered, Master Fung smiled and put his hand on Raimundo's shoulder.

"Do as you think wise young one" he said.

'I swear that can't be good grammar' Raimundo thought but smiled and left using the golden Tiger claws.

Jack sat there working on his latest robot, he got up to get something but his legs wobbled and he grabbed the table for support. He growled at himself and then got up to carry on walking.

"Sir perhaps you should rest" his Jack-bot asked.

"And maybe you should mind your own business!" Jack snapped and then felt a pang of guilt as the robot looked saddened.

'Damn I shouldn't have given them 'the puppy dog eyes' programme' he thought and sat down again.

"Sorry I'm just upset" he muttered and looked away as he sighed. He tried to get up but the world swirled around him and his entire body almost screamed at him to stop, and stop he did…

However he was standing when his legs gave way and he slumped onto the floor with a clatter of the tools he had in his hands.

"Why am I such a weakling?" Jack hissed at himself.

"Let's see…you had been very badly wounded, you lost about two pints of blood and by my guessing you haven't taken a rest or eaten anything have you?" a voice declared and Jack spun around to see Raimundo standing at the door way.

"I only have the monkey staff" Jack muttered "If memory recalls Kimiko got the Magma mitts"

"I'm not here for wu I'm here for you" Raimundo declared as he leapt down the stairs to help Jack up, he looked away as if trying to deny what Raimundo was trying to say.

"You can keep saying it and I'm just gonna keep on ignoring it" jack said bluntly "I'm not being tricked again"

"Again!"

"During the Heylin eclipse you came and you said I could give Chase and the others a hard time in battle" Jack declared "didn't believe it for a second and the crap puppets kinda gave it away! Do you guys really think I'm that retarded?"

"Err…" Raimundo mumbled, they had thought Jack had fallen hook line and sinker for it but apparently that wasn't the case.

"The only reason why I actually went along with the whole 'me being tricked like a dumb puppy into going into battle for you' was because I figured you guys wanted to give me a chance to prove myself…" Jack said "So what's the angle this time?"

"No angle, no tricks" Raimundo said.

"Yeah right" Jack began but Raimundo pulled Jack up to him and kissed him gently on the lips, the moment seemed to last forever and Jack's knees went weak and his cheeks blushed as red as his hair. When they parted Jack stared at Raimundo…

"Well…that's a new tactic" Jack meeped.

"Dude I want to help you, to love you but if I can do that you have to trust me" Raimundo said as he held Jack in his arms, Jack felt himself sinking into Raimundo embrace.

"Look you've got to rest up a bit more okay" Raimundo whispered and settled Jack down in his big leather seat that reclined, Jack looked up and grabbed his hand.

"Don't go…I don't want to be alone anymore" he muttered.

"Jack I promise you, you'll never be alone anymore" Raimundo said and kissed him gently on the forehead he got leaving Jack to blissfully sleep away.

Author notes:

Okay should I continue with this? I've got a week left before I go back to college so speak now or forever hold your peace!


End file.
